Person who was illegally housing raccoon, game warden will have to be treated for rabies, police say

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 5:54 PM EDT Aug 21, 2018

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT PEOPLE WERE EXPOSED COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. >> THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILI TO TAKE CARE OF WILD ANIMALS. ERIN: IT MAY SEEM LIKE COMMON SENSE LEAVING WILD ANIMALS TO THE EXPERTS. ACCORDING TO SCOTT LINDSAY, A BIOLOGIST, NOT EVERYONE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE RISKS. >> OFTEN, WELL-INTENTIONED PEOPLE WILL TRY TO TAKE AN ANIMAL INTO THEIR HOME BELIEVING THAT IT IS SICK AND INJURED AND THEY WILL TIME TO NURSE -- TRY TO NURSE IT BACK TO HEALTH, SOMETIMES REFERRING TO WEBSITES. ERIN: SOMETHING HE SAYS IS NOT ONLY DANGEROUS BUT ALSO ILLEGAL. WHICH IS WHY WHEN POLICE BECAME AWARE OF A RESIDENT KEEPING A RACCOON INSIDE THEIR HOME, A TRAINED GAME WARDEN CAME TO HELP RELEASE IT WHEN BOTH THE . HOMEOWNER AND WARDEN WERE EXPOSED TO RABIES. THESE ANIMALS ARE VERY QUICK AND THEY CAN BITE OR SCRATCH YOU VERY QUICKLY AND UNPREDICTABLY. BOTH THE WARDEN AND HOMEOWNERS -- UNPREDICTABLY. ERIN: BOTH THE WARDEN AND HOMEOWNERS NOW UNDERGOING TREATMENT FOR RABIES. LINDSAY ADDING NO MATTER HOW VULNERABLE OR SEEMINGLY FRIENDLY AN ANIMAL MAY BE LIKE A RACCOON INCENTIVIZED BY FOOD, WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, OUTDOORS IS WHERE THEY BELONG. >> SOMETIMES THEY CAN BE MAKE THEMSELVES PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PEOPLE BUT AGAIN EVEN THOUGH IT APPEAR AS THOUGHT IT MAY BE ACTING LIKE A DOMESTIC ANIMAL THEY DEFINITELY ARE NOT. ERIN: IN GRAY, ERIN DIXON,

A person in Kennebunkport who was illegally housing an injured raccoon was bitten by the animal, which then tested positive for rabies, police said.The person who took in the animal was bitten several times as was a responding game warden, police said.Both will have to undergo treatment for rabies.Nearly 50 cases of rabies have been reported in Maine in 2018, according to Maine's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory.The Kennebunkport case was not included in the total number of rabies cases, which was last updated Aug. 15.Police reminded residents to never take a wild animal into your home.

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine —

A person in Kennebunkport who was illegally housing an injured raccoon was bitten by the animal, which then tested positive for rabies, police said.

The person who took in the animal was bitten several times as was a responding game warden, police said.

Advertisement

Both will have to undergo treatment for rabies.

Nearly 50 cases of rabies have been reported in Maine in 2018, according to Maine's Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory.

The Kennebunkport case was not included in the total number of rabies cases, which was last updated Aug. 15.